PRIMERS STORED LIFE

I live in a country where reloading components supply is very irregular. "just in case" I usually keep in store a cuantity of powder and primers that may last for my needs, that is from 3 to 5 years of reloading. I cast my own bullets and have the necessary equipment for all the calibers I use. My concern is about how long primers can last. I keep them in their original packages, inside air, humidity, temperature resisting containers that can even resist submerging in water. I wonder that given the described care, do the primers by some chemical cause deteriorate? if so what would be the aproximate period of time I would expect them to be reliable?

I have looked for information about this particular point in many sources, but it seems a bit difficult to get an answer. I know that the origin or lot of primers differs, so I would be satisfied with information although it is not exact 100 %. Just an idea.

I have kept WLP primers since 1994 in various environments including in humidity, attics with hot humid air, and garages. I Used them last summer and just reloaded the last few hundred two days ago. They still work fine. And have old powder from 94 as well(win 231 and wsl in original metal container) and they all shoot fine. Over 15 yrs. I of courst bought fresh stuf and use those as well.

your primers if stored as you said will last almost forever.i would rotate them as was suggested b-4 but they will be good for years.i recently found 1000 small mag pistol primers that were put in the wrong place while on a move and they were over twenty years old-worked fine and not one misfire old semperfi

Anybody of you old-timers remember the old "staynless" primers from like the 60s and 70s? I came accross a bunch of them from an old friend of mine who recently passed and the packages were dated like 1968 or something... They shot just fine, as did the W296 and W231 I got from him of the same vintage...

Way back in 1981 P bought a bunch of reloading supplies from a shop going out of business-- primers and powder. I just recently finihed loading and shooting the last of the SP primers I bought them. They all worked fine.

Keep in mind many people are shooting ammo made during or even before WW II and that was 70 plus years ago. If the ammo was well made back then (US loads) it still shoots well today. Ammo from third world countries made 5 years ago may not go boom today, so it's the quality of the original product that really determines longevity. Most modern primers will last almost indefinitely if stored in the original containers and away from high heat and moisture.

My educated guess is the primers will be fine for over 30 years. When they approach the 50 year mark the metal may be a bit brittle (hard), and when the hammer strikes one there may be a delayed ignition or no ignition. Nothing scientific here, just an observation from my own experiences.